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Topic : How Plastic Surgery Has Changed My Life

Has plastic surgery changed your life for the better, made it worse, or not changed it at all? Share your stories here.

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How Plastic Surgery Has Changed My Life

I was thinking about getting mine done, but I've heard stories like this one, where your breast feels hard and firm. Is it true? I've seen pictures of some breast implants and they look very real and don't look at all hard or firm.

i absolutely think you should! i agree with jo . it is the best thing you could ever do for yourself. even guys who say that they don't like girls with implants, once they've got them they ALL change their minds. but for the most part, you wont find a guy who doesn't love them! they do feel different but it's not in a bad way. i assure you, they will get plenty of attention!

Molepaste . . ?

My Mother in law was going to get cosmetic surgery for some moles to be removed, but her doctor said it wouldn't be covered because they wern't suspicious. Can you believe it? She went online and asked around and tried the molepaste (#1 natural mole and wart remover) and it has done wonders for her. It actually killed the moles they say by natural cautery "within 20 minutes" She had them all over her face and for the first time isn't self conscious. I have since used it on skin tags and age spots with very good results. It's too soon to see if I'll get any scarring, but so far so good.

How Plastic Surgery Has Changed My Life

My Mother in law was going to get cosmetic surgery for some moles to be removed, but her doctor said it wouldn't be covered because they wern't suspicious. Can you believe it? She went online and asked around and tried the molepaste (#1 natural mole and wart remover) and it has done wonders for her. It actually killed the moles they say by natural cautery "within 20 minutes" She had them all over her face and for the first time isn't self conscious. I have since used it on skin tags and age spots with very good results. It's too soon to see if I'll get any scarring, but so far so good.

I just read this message - about the molepaste. Can you tell me where your Mother-in-law got this? Is it just a common (over the counter) product? I don't have moles on my face as you said she did, but I have some age spots (I'm 65) that I wouldn't mind trying it on. Spots on my hands. And just recently I started getting some warts (two of them) on my hands. I didn't even know what they were until I made an appointment with my doctor, and he told me. One of them is gone already as I used a product he recommended. I still have the other one. I keep forgetting to put the 'medicine' on it at night as it's in a somewhat awkward spot on my hand, on the inside of a finger. Thank you in advance . . .Karen, SAcramento

botched tummy tuck

i've never had a tuck but i have had a breast augmentation and i have to say that plastic surgery is the greatest thing since, well, lol it's the greatest thing period!!

it has absolutely changed my life completely. my self asteem has skyrocketed and i have never enjoyed a more fun filled life! everything from my home life to my life just out and about is now a full fledged riot! i really have a new lease on life and would recommend to any one having plastic surgery done. whatever it is that you don't like about yourself, GET IT FIXED! you will be sooo much happier!

best of luck,Charlotte

I hope no one has the same experience I had with a tummny tuck several years ago. I had one done at UC Davis University Hospital in Sacramento. A girlfriend of mine also had one about the same time. Hers turned out beautifully. Mine was pretty well botched. I have a big scar, and a big 'blob, for want of a better word, and my stomache never did get 'flat'. I thought at first that that was how it was supposed to be, and kept waiting for it to 'go down' but it never did. I finally decided to just live with it as I really couldn't afford to have it redone. A year or so ago, after many years, I went to another plastic surgeron here in Sacramento just for a consultation, and to find out how much all of the plastic surgery I wanted would cost. He took one look at my tummy and he said that the first thing he would want to do was correct the scar onmy stomache and 'fix' the tummy tuck that obviously didn't happen right. I still haven't had it done (can't really afford it - I got divorced, I'm now retired, and my income has dropped!) but when I 'win the Lottery'; or come into some major cash, I fully intend to have it redone by another surgeon. This time I did my homework and know which doctors have the best repulation and credibility. My comment to all this is to suggest that no one ever go to a teaching hospital where the doctors (who aren't really doctors yet) do the surgery, and then don't even admit that they screwed up the surgery!t

BREAST AUGMENTATION - ANOTHER WAY

I recently had breast implants for breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer. If not for the mastectomy, I would not have had the implants. I was pretty flat-chested before, but I did fine with padded bras.

I really do like the results of the reconstruction. The plastic surgeon is great. Because of the mastectomy, it was a three-step process. First, a tissue expander was placed on the side where the mastectomy was done...this was to stretch the scar tissue. Next, the implants were placed on both sides (to make them match), and a breast lift was done on the breast that wasn't removed. Last, I had a nipple graft, with skin from the groin.

I went from AAA to a B cup. I wouldn't recommend getting "melons"...B cup is perfect. On a recent visit to with my family, my sister said "nice rack". I do look much better in clothes, and I look slimmer.

Be prepared, though, for a long recovery period. I wasn't allowed to raise my arms for 6 weeks, and it is very painful for awhile. Now that I have recovered, I have no more pain.

In the consultation, the plastic surgeon explains the process. Ask to see his procedure book, where there are before and after pictures of women who have actually had the procedure done. The pictures don't show anybody's face...just the torso. Also, ask how many women he has done breast implants for. Ask how many of the procedures he does per month. It is important to have a surgeon who is experienced. You might also ask the local general surgeon's office who they would recommend for plastic surgery. Also, ask your general doctor. Don't go to a doctor that your own doctor wouldn't recommend. Be sure to ask lots of questions, and if you think of more questions later, don't hesitate to ask for another consultation to get your questions answered. In the consultation, the doctor will want to see your breasts, and he/she will give you an idea of what can be done with them.

I got the new silicone implants...much more durable than the ones they used to use. There are also saline implants available. My silicone implants look and feel very natural...you would never know that I had implants.

I have scars at the bottom of my breasts, but they are hidden in the crease below the breasts. The scars are painful still, when I wear a bra...which I have to wear 24/7 for awhile, to let the breasts form the "scar pockets" that hold the implants in place within the breasts. I never could wear underwire bras..very painful. Now, the underwire bras are forbidden for several months. There are plenty of nice bras out there that don't have underwires.

My insurance paid for the breast implants because it was for breast reconstruction. The surgeon's fee is separate from the surgery facility fee. The total between the doctor and the facility charges was around $8000 each time I went in for the three surgeries. Conventional breast implants (not for reconstruction) is a one-step process, so it would be only one charge of around $8000.

There are risks involved with any surgery. You have to be put under general anesthetic, which carries its own risks. Also, you have the risk of infection of the surgery area. I was put on antibiotic after the procedures to help prevent infection. Also, the implants are only expected to last 20 to 30 years, and then, they might have to be redone. My sister-in-law had implants placed in the 1970's, when they were relatively new for wide-spread use. Recently, she had to have them re-done because one of them broke. The newer implants that they use now are much more durable, but there is still a risk of having to have them redone in the distant future.

Do your research ahead of time, so you will know what questions to ask at the consultation. Usually, the consultation is free. Look online for information on breast implants. Learn about the procedure, and then make sure that you are getting a reputable and respected plastic surgeon.

BREAST AUGMENTATION - ANOTHER WAY

I recently had breast implants for breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer. If not for the mastectomy, I would not have had the implants. I was pretty flat-chested before, but I did fine with padded bras.

I really do like the results of the reconstruction. The plastic surgeon is great. Because of the mastectomy, it was a three-step process. First, a tissue expander was placed on the side where the mastectomy was done...this was to stretch the scar tissue. Next, the implants were placed on both sides (to make them match), and a breast lift was done on the breast that wasn't removed. Last, I had a nipple graft, with skin from the groin.

I went from AAA to a B cup. I wouldn't recommend getting "melons"...B cup is perfect. On a recent visit to with my family, my sister said "nice rack". I do look much better in clothes, and I look slimmer.

Be prepared, though, for a long recovery period. I wasn't allowed to raise my arms for 6 weeks, and it is very painful for awhile. Now that I have recovered, I have no more pain.

In the consultation, the plastic surgeon explains the process. Ask to see his procedure book, where there are before and after pictures of women who have actually had the procedure done. The pictures don't show anybody's face...just the torso. Also, ask how many women he has done breast implants for. Ask how many of the procedures he does per month. It is important to have a surgeon who is experienced. You might also ask the local general surgeon's office who they would recommend for plastic surgery. Also, ask your general doctor. Don't go to a doctor that your own doctor wouldn't recommend. Be sure to ask lots of questions, and if you think of more questions later, don't hesitate to ask for another consultation to get your questions answered. In the consultation, the doctor will want to see your breasts, and he/she will give you an idea of what can be done with them.

I got the new silicone implants...much more durable than the ones they used to use. There are also saline implants available. My silicone implants look and feel very natural...you would never know that I had implants.

I have scars at the bottom of my breasts, but they are hidden in the crease below the breasts. The scars are painful still, when I wear a bra...which I have to wear 24/7 for awhile, to let the breasts form the "scar pockets" that hold the implants in place within the breasts. I never could wear underwire bras..very painful. Now, the underwire bras are forbidden for several months. There are plenty of nice bras out there that don't have underwires.

My insurance paid for the breast implants because it was for breast reconstruction. The surgeon's fee is separate from the surgery facility fee. The total between the doctor and the facility charges was around $8000 each time I went in for the three surgeries. Conventional breast implants (not for reconstruction) is a one-step process, so it would be only one charge of around $8000.

There are risks involved with any surgery. You have to be put under general anesthetic, which carries its own risks. Also, you have the risk of infection of the surgery area. I was put on antibiotic after the procedures to help prevent infection. Also, the implants are only expected to last 20 to 30 years, and then, they might have to be redone. My sister-in-law had implants placed in the 1970's, when they were relatively new for wide-spread use. Recently, she had to have them re-done because one of them broke. The newer implants that they use now are much more durable, but there is still a risk of having to have them redone in the distant future.

Do your research ahead of time, so you will know what questions to ask at the consultation. Usually, the consultation is free. Look online for information on breast implants. Learn about the procedure, and then make sure that you are getting a reputable and respected plastic surgeon.

I hope this info is helpful for you...Becky

I've been reading some of the postings here about breast augmentation (I've never had it but wouldn't mind considering it sone day soon. But If wanted to tell you all that I found an article about adding to your breasts by using your own fat, so to speak! The article, which I clipped from a magazine, is dated 2/12/07, and I believe that I clipped it from a Woman's Day Magazine. The article is entitled "A 2-in-1 Surgery Gave Me A Slimmer belly and a bigger bust". Her doctor was a Dr. Sydney Coleman in New York City, and the article is written by a Linda Francipane, who was 40 at the time of this article, and she too lived in New York City. The article says that she wore 'falsies' for years because of her "mosquito bites". She was a size 34A at this time. The procedure is called: lipostructure, where excess fat is removed from parts of the body and inserted into the breasts to increase their size and improve their shape. The doctor explained that he had developed a way to make fat tissue 'live' in the body rather than be absorbed so follow-ups were not necessary. On the day of the surgery Dr. Coleman performed liposuction on various parts of the patient's lower body, including her abdomen and thighs. More fat was removed than was needed for her breats, which resulted in the patient losing 12 pounds. After the liposuction was complete, the doctor immediately inserted the removed fat into Linda's breats in the exact area she wanted natural enhancement. It was an eight-hour dual procedure, and she was in a lot of pain. Even breathing hurt, she said. But she managed the discomfort with Tylenol. One week after the surgery Linda stepped out of her house as a new woman. Today, she has no regrets and no scars - just faint pinprick marks. And to conclude, the cost of surgery (this included the liposuction and tummy tuck as well as injecting the fat) was $18,000.00. If she had gotten a separate tummy tuck and breast enlargement, it would have cost $15,000.00, but it would have been the 'regular' breast enlargement. Again, the doctor is in New York City and his name is Sydney Coleman. Believe me, after reading this article, I am going to try to find a way to pay for this because it sounds terrific, and it's much more natural.

breast implants - another way

I am one of the moderators of the support web site called http://explantation.com . My complete story can be read in "Our Stories", as well as over 50 stories. Our site features personally written accounts by women who had breast implants and later removed them for various reasons. We are not an anti-plastic surgery site, but rather tell the other side of the breast implant story.

Whether we like to admit it or not, breast implants are NOT lifetime devices. All women will one day have to face the decision to explant their implants-either to replace them, or to remove them completely.

While we readily admit that many women are ecstatic with their implants, we also know that many of the pro implant sites and forums quickly remove negative reporting from women who have problems with their implants. Many of the posters are newly implanted women. By the admission of the implant manufacturers, there are women who should never be implanted and there are lists of contraindications and possible complications from augmentation surgery. The studies report (which is very insufficient, by the way) that there ARE some women who have a myriad of problems. We refer to these women as those on the "down-side" of the stats. What happens to these women? Are they stuck with unwanted implants forever? Are they all deformed if they must remove their implants due to unresolved difficulties?

Our site and forum features those women who have decided to have explantation surgery. Many have had to have corrective surgeries from the damage to their augmented breasts. The happy news is that MOST have very successful explantation surgeries and look very beautiful after they remove their implants. Most realize that the only thing they probably needed in the first place, was mastopexy (a good lift!) We help women find very experienced, patient recommended explantation surgeons who are sympathetic with their desires to remove implants forever, and who will even admit that implants sometimes cause great problems.

Our purpose is NOT to bash women who love their implants, nor to discredit those women who need corrective surgeries due to very real breast deformities, injuries or problems. There will always be those women who have legitimate problems with their breasts and who deserve the right to correct these issues. We DO advocate that other corrective considerations be made before implanting foreign objects into one's body. So many women do not get augmentation to become larger, but to restore the youthfulness to their breasts. Implants are NOT the answer for all women.

As to the comment about the young girl seeking disability, yet claiming to have improved health after explanting her implants: Many women DO improve their situations after removing implants. Not all totally regain their former health, but nearly all regain at least a measure of health. For women in pain or who are suffering, even an improvement is a Godsend. I am one such woman. I may never be the same after having implants, but my improvement has made my quality of life much better. I will never be the same, since I ended up having a partial mastectomy due to the problems with implants. Yet, thanks to a wonderful, skillfil plastic surgeon, I still have breasts without implants.

One must ask themselves what happens to those women who have the complications which are listed on your BA waiver forms? SOME of us, are willing to tell our stories, show our photos and want to support others who wake up one day on the down-side of the stats. Our site is not for women who are still ecstatic about their augmentations, but for those women who must replace or remove their aging implants and want to have the best asthetic outcome possible.

I typed this once and somehow it got erased but I'll do it again as I feel it is important. I have an article dated 2/12/07, that I clipped from a woman's magazine, I think Womnan's Day. It talks about a patient named Linda who was fairly tall and was a size 34A. She had breast enhancement done - after doing lots of research, and she's delighted with the whole result. The surgery is called: lipostructure, and it was performed bya doctor Sydney Coleman, in New York City. Linda also apparently lives there. She had a tummy tuck, some liposuction on her thighs, and on her tummy. Then the fat that was removed (not all of it!) was injected into her breasts. Linda got a great slimming bonus, losing 12 pounds. And Dr. Coleman had developed a way to make fat tissue "live" in the body rather than be absorbed, so follow-ups were not necessary. It was an eight-hour procedure, and Linda was in a lot of pain, even breathing hurt, she said. But the pain was managed with Tylenol. Two days later the foam latex bandages were removed from her midsection, and she had curves! One week after the surgery she was out and about. One decade later she's still delighted, has had no problems, no regret, and no scars - just a few faint pinpricks! Now: the surgery cost $18,000. However, keep in mind she also had a tummy tuck and liposuction. If she had just had a separate tummy tuck and breast enlargement the 'usual' way, it would have cost $15,000. For $3,000 more she got natural breasts - with no problems! In case you're interested . . .Karen, Sacramento

Plastic Surgery RUINED my life

If I could go back in time I would NEVER have done this because the results have turned out disastrous. I was always the fat girl my entire life. I hated the person in that mirror so I decided to get lipo on my face which turned out disastrous because one cheek ended up with an unusual dent in the face. It was a total nightmare and I was trying to fix this, and I ended up getting fat grafting (you are essentially puting fat from your stomach to your face). I did my homework this time and did my research. This doctor spent a lot of time on the internet talking to me, he has websites all over the internet and he sounded just too good. I flew in from CA to Plano TX just to see this guy. On the internet he makes promises all of his "fat" stays but it turns out it got converted into scar tissue which is now sticking right out on my face. Everyone is commenting on this. When I had my consultation with this self proclaimed "artist", he had told me I was a 20 something year old with the features of a 50 year old when in reality I get carded all the time and confused for a 15 year old. I should have listened to my gut instinct and walked away then. The results turned out disastrous and in fact this Texas doctor/artist who promised to "restore identity", "achieve facial harmony" was not an artist after all.

I only wish I had been happy with who I was and never started this from the start. Plastic surgeons don't do miracles and if they're making themselves sound as if they can achieve miracles, please walk away. Heres one lesson that a good doctor told me, if it doesn't bother you, DONT FIX IT.